Sound-reproducing machine



May 14, 1929. L. ROBIMARGA SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 19242 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 5.

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A TfORNL'VS May 14, 1929. L. ROBIMARGA SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE 2Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct 5, 1924 lNVf/VTOR Zzziqi J1 050714174 5 1VATTORNEYS Patented May 14,1929. I

PATENT OFFICE.

LUIGI nonmma, or nmmnmm'r.

. sounn-mnonucme mcnnm.

Application ma October 8, 1924, Serial Io. 71,442, and in Italy October4, 1923.

This invention has reference to improvements in or connected with soundreproducing machines of the type comprising a plurality of record discsa apted for successive operation whereby a continuity of reproduc-' tionof a series of records may be obtained. The present invention has forits object to provide means for accurately determining and effecting thechange from the one record disc to the succeeding disc. The inventionconsists of an improved sound reproducing machine of the kindhereinbefore referred to, comprising a plurality of record disc carryingtables, a continuously driven shaft, a pair of auxiliary shafts 11either side thereof and axiall in line t erewith, each of said auxiliarys afts beinggeared to a disc carrying table, spring operated means forconnecting alternatel one or other of said auxiliary shafts to theriving shaft, means for determining the point at which the change is tobe effected, and means for automatically effecting the said change. Theinvention further consists: in the improved details of construction andin the device as a whole.

In the annexed drawing 'which serves to illustrate in a schematicalmanner by way of example a device for the change of discs:

Figure 1 is a top view of the machine with the record carrying disctables removed for the sake of clearness; Figure 2 is a side elevationof the machine; and Figure 3 is a pers ective view of the mechanism foreffecting the automatic change over from one record disc to another.

As it may be seen from the drawing the machine comprises a foundationplate 1 wherein is mounted a small electric motor 2 which serves todrive the devices. The current enters'the motor by a conduit 3 ending atthe terminal 4 which by means of a pin 5 is connected with the feedingconduit.

The motor 2 drives a shaft 6 which carries a wheel which, by means of achain 7, transmits the movement to a second chain wheel ke ed on thedriving shaft 8 of the device.

The shaft 8 is borne by two supports 9, 9"- fastened u on the foundationplate or plate 10of the evioe, and on each of its ends carries a disc15', 15" provided at its periphery with a carrying 5 ring pawl 16",16".. On the right and on e leftin alignment with the shaft 8 butseparated and inde ndent from it are the two shafts 13',j13" w ich areborne by supports 14, 14" on the foundat1on plate 10. These two shaftscarr on their inner ends adjacent the outer en s of shaft 8, two discs11', 11" arranged a inst dlSCS 15 15", each of the former eing providedwith a notch 12', 12", one end of the spring pawl 16, 16" being pressedagainst the periphery of the opposite disc 11, 11" by a spring 17', 17acting on the other end.

On the shafts 13', 13" are also mounted the bevel gears 18, 18" whichmesh with the pinions 19, 19" and set into rotation the shafts 20, 20"of the turn tables 46', 46"

hearing the record discs not shown in the drawing.

The shafts 20, 20" carrying the record tables are' preferably eachprovided with a worm wheel 21', which through a worm 22 drivesacentrifugal governor 23'. If it is des1red to employ at one time twosimilar records, in order to ampli'f the volume of sound, two record caning ta les may be connected by means of a elt 25", said belt beingperforated to engage with pe s on the periphery of a drum 24" secured tot e shaft 20.

For clearness sake and in order to avoid unnecessary duplication ofparts in the drawing only the worm wheel 21 connected with. the shaft20'and controllingthe governor 23' has been shown, the governorcontrolled by shaft 20" being omitted and conversely only the belt 25",which transmits motion to a second record carryin table connected withthe shaft 20" is shown, t 1e corresponding connection of shaft 20 beingomitted. The shafts 13', 13" bear also the two cams 26', 26" the objectof which will be explained later on and the two worm screws 27 27"gearing with the worm wheels 28','28" keyed on shafts 29', 29"'respectively. Finally they bear at their ends the two dial orindicating discs 30', 30' which rotate causing their graduation to rununder a fixed pointer 31, 31 for the purpose which will be explainedafterwards.

Upon the shafts 29', 29" bearing the worm wheels 28, 28" are ke ed twodiscs 32', 32" which can be fastene -on the shafts themselves bytightening the nuts 33, 33" screwed their edge and notches 35, 35"wherein can snap the release teeth 36, 36" of the movable switchingbolt.

Said bolt consists in a flat bar 37 with two little windows 38', 38across which project the aforesaid release teeth 36', 36" These teethare a part of two movable pieces 39, I

, Opposite bar 37 which is stationary, and in a parallel line with it ismounted a second bar 41 which is shiftable longitudinally and guided bytwo fixed pins 42, 42" which proect through two slots 43', 43" wlthWlllCll it is provided. Besides the movable bar 41 bears two teeth 45',45 WhlGh when the bar moves either to the left or to the right,

meet, the tail of one of the pawls 16, 16

raising its end which was lowered into the notch of the disk 15', 15 andthus disconnect the discs 11', 15' or 11', 15".

From the above the action of the machine will now be easilyunderstoodassuming that the performance begins with the right disc borne by theshaft 20 and the other parts of the machine are in the positions shownby the figures of the drawing.

Upon each ecord discprepared for the.

, reproduction with the machine according to the invention, is marked anumber which shows the number of turns required to complete thereproduction ofall the matter'that is recorded in it.

The operator slackens the nut 33 and having thus released the disc 32"pushes the tooth 36 towards the left, which he can do by overcoming theresistance of the spring ",till it leaves the notch 35", o posite whichthere is the zero of the gra uation 3i", thereupon he turns the disc 32"suflicientl to brin the number marked on the :recor disc in rout of thetooth 36" wh ch runs along the periphery of the disc 32"..

During this movement the tooth asses under the tail of the pawl 16'keeping it dis engaged and the discs 11-, 15 disconnected while the pawl16" being free from tooth 45" its arm has fallen opposite the teeth 12"and connects together the discs 11", 15".

As soon as the movement has begun, when the record disc borne by theshaft 20" has accomplished the number of turns marked, the notch 35arrives under the tooth 36" which falls therein.

In this movement the bar 41 is shifted to the right, the .tooth 45"takes such osition that it may be met by the tail of t e pawl 16'' whenupon turning the disc 15" the said pawl arrives opposite bar 41 and atthe same.

time the tooth 45" raises the tail of the pawl 16' whose free endfalling against the tooth 12' establishes the connection of the twodiscs 11', 15' and thus begins the movement of the record discborne bthe shaft 20'. Durin the working of the rst disc the operator ha putinto its place the second disc upon the record carrying plate of theshaft 20' and turned the indicating disc 32' so far against the tooth35' has come the number of the graduation 34' correponding to the numberof turns to be, performed by the second disc. While the second disc isin operation the operator places the third disc and so forth. I

When the sound reproducing machine should operate in connection with acinematographic projection machine, with whichv it must move insynchronism, are utilized the two cams 26, 26 each one of which, at eachturn of the shaft on which it is mounted closesfor a certain intervalthe contact 44', 44" arranged on a circuit which operates a device forthe automatic adjusting of the synchronism, a device which it is notnecessary to describe here as it'does not form a art of this invention.

11 case of breakage of the film and stoppage ofthe machine, the hands 31or 31" will show .on the corresponding indicatin disc 30 or 30- theexact point at which the sound re etition has reached and therefore thenum er'of the picture with which the projection of the film must beresumed, because the ictureson the film are regressively num ered and toeach turn of t e sound recording disc corresponds always to the samenumber of pictures.

Claims:

' 1. In a sound reproducing machine of the kind referred-to, com'prisina continuously driven main shaft, two auxl iary shafts axially in linetherewith, a disc carryin table, connected with each auxiliar shaft,couplin s capable of being release and desi ned to alternately connectone or other 0 the two auxiliary shafts with the main shaft, and meansfor automaticall actuating the couplin of the continuous y driven mainshaft with the auxiliary shafts, said means comprising a pair of controldiscs graduated in terms of the time length of the reproduction recordedin the discs and provided with notches, two shafts upon each of which iskeyed one of the said control discs and each of which is connected toone of the auxiliary shafts, movable members ands rings controlling themovable mem ers an co-operating with the said notches for actuating theautomatic coupling and release of one of the auxiliary shafts with themain shaft at the same time at which is actuated the release and thecoupling, respectively, of the second auxiliary shaft with the same mainshaft.

2. Sound reproducing machines according to claim 1 having means forautomatically performing the coupling of one of the auxiliary shaftswith the main shaft at the same time at which is released thecou lingwhich con les the other shaft, the sai means inclu ing control discsprovided with notche the combination with the control discs 0 movablemembers consisting of a couple of bars having angular portions adaptedto enter the said notches, antagonistic springs acting upon said barsand causing them to enter the notches, and a rod sliding in two oppositedirections and acting upon the means for coupling the main shaft withthe two auxiliary shafts, the said sliding rod being connected with thesaid bars and operated by them in such a way as to establish theconnection of the main shaft with one of the 10 auxiliary shafts at thesame time at which the connection is released with the other one.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature September, 1924.

LUIGI ROBIMARGA.

